Investigation of the Neuro-Regenerative Effects of Bioresonance and Magnetotherapy in Sciatic Nerve Damage-Induced Rats / Investigación de los Efectos Neurorregenerativos de Biorresonancia y Magnetoterapia en Ratas Inducidas por Daño del Nervio Ciático

SUMMARY: Peripheral nerve damage is a significant clinical problem that can lead to severe complications in patients. Regarding the regeneration of peripheral nerves, it is crucial to use experimental animals' nerves and use different evaluation methods. Epineural or perineural suturing is the gold standard in treating sciatic nerve injury, but nerve repair is often unsuccessful. This study aimed to investigate the neuroregenerative effects of magnetotherapy and bioresonance in experimental animals with sciatic nerve damage. In this study, 24 female Wistar rats were divided into 7 groups (n=6) as follows: Group 1 (Control), Group 2 (Axonotmesis control), Group 3 (Anastomosis control), Group 4 (Axonotmesis + magnetotherapy), Group 5 (Anastomosis + magnetotherapy), Group 6 (Axonotmesis + bioresonance), Group 7 (Anastomosis + bioresonance). Magnetotherapy and bioresonance treatments were applied for 12 weeks. Behavioural tests and EMG tests were performed at the end of the 12th week. Then the rats were sacrificed, and a histopathological evaluation was made. The statistical significance level was taken as 5 % in the calculations, and the SPSS (IBM SPSS for Windows, ver.21) statistical package program was used for the calculations. Statistically significant results were obtained in animal behaviour tests, EMG, and pathology groups treated with magnetotherapy. There was no statistically significant difference in the groups treated with bioresonance treatment compared to the control groups. Muscle activity and nerve repair occurred in experimental animals with acute peripheral nerve damage due to 12 weeks of magnetotherapy, and further studies should support these results.

El daño a los nervios periféricos es un problema clínico importante que puede conducir a complicaciones graves en los pacientes. En cuanto a la regeneración de los nervios periféricos, es crucial utilizar los nervios de los animales de experimentación y diferentes métodos de evaluación. La sutura epineural o perineural es el gold estándar en el tratamiento de lesiones del nervio ciático, pero la reparación del nervio a menudo no tiene éxito. Este estudio tuvo como objetivo investigar los efectos neuroregenerativos de la magnetoterapia y la biorresonancia en animales de experimentación con daño del nervio ciático. En el estudio, 24 ratas hembras Wistar se dividieron en 7 grupos (n=6) de la siguiente manera: Grupo 1 (Control), Grupo 2 (Control de axonotmesis), Grupo 3 (Control de anastomosis), Grupo 4 (Axonotmesis + magnetoterapia), Grupo 5 (Anastomosis + magnetoterapia), Grupo 6 (Axonotmesis + biorresonancia), Grupo 7 (Anastomosis + biorresonancia). Se aplicaron durante 12 semanas tratamientos de magnetoterapia y biorresonancia. Las pruebas de comportamiento y las pruebas de EMG se realizaron al final de la semana 12. Luego se sacrificaron las ratas y se realizó una evaluación histopatológica. El nivel de significación estadística se tomó como 5 % en los cálculos, y se utilizó el programa de paquete estadístico SPSS (IBM SPSS para Windows, ver.21). Se obtuvieron resultados estadísticamente significativos en pruebas de comportamiento animal, EMG y grupos de patología tratados con magnetoterapia. No hubo diferencia estadísticamente significativa en los grupos con tratamiento de biorresonancia en comparación con los grupos controles. La actividad muscular y la reparación nerviosa, se produjeron en animales de experimentación con daño nervioso periférico agudo, debido a 12 semanas de magnetoterapia.Estudios adicionales deberían respaldar estos resultados.

Regenerative activity of Hericium erinaceus on axonal injury model using in vitro laser microdissection technique.

OBJECTIVE: Peripheral nerve injury (PNI) is an important global health problem. Nerve Growth Factor (NGF) plays crucial role in the survival, growth, and maintenance of various neurons in the mammalian nervous system, human included. Hericium erinaceus (HE), an edible and medicinal mushroom, has been extensively studied for its neuroprotective properties. In this study, the neuroprotective and neurotogenic effects of HE and NGF were compared on mouse PNI model by using a laser microdissection technique. METHODS: Neuronal cultures were prepared from dorsal root ganglia (DRG) of 6-8 week aged mice, pretreated them with phosphate-buffered saline (PBS), NGF, HE, or the combination of NGF and HE. To model axonal injury in vitro, axons were cut (axotomy) with a microscope-controlled laser beam. Axotomized neurons were imaged under the microscope. Axotomized neurons' survival ratios were calculated using the propidium iodide (PI), which is a red-fluorescent nuclear dye. Their axon lengths were measured using the AxioVision 4.8 software. RESULTS: Although both HE and NGF have neuroprotective and regenerative effects on axotomized peripheral sensory neurons, HE exhibits a higher neuroprotective activity compared to the NGF. The combination of HE and NGF maximizes axonal regeneration ability of axotomized neurons. CONCLUSION: HE has capabilities of preventing the death of neurons and regenerating their axons in the experimental axonal injury model. Our findings provide experimental evidence that HE may serve as a neuroprotective and regenerative candidate for treating peripheral nerve injuries. Present study warrants further investigation of HE as a potential natural compound to remedy PNI.

Degenerative effect of Ankaferd Blood Stopper® on mice peripheral sensory neurons in vitro.

Ankaferd Blood Stopper® (ABS) is a licensed medicinal herbal extract that ensures effective hemostasis on external, internal, postoperative and dental bleeds. Dorsal root ganglia (DRG) harbor cell bodies of peripheral sensory neurons. DRG neurons receive peripheral information and regularly send projections to nuclei in the brainstem and the spinal cord. These neurons play critical roles in neural development. Neuronal dysfunctions were reported due to ABS use in surgical interventions. The purpose of this experiment was to investigate the degenerative effects of the ABS on mice DRG cells in vitro. DRG neurons were isolated from adult mice and cultured in vitro. The neurons were incubated with various concentrations of ABS for 24 h. At the end of 24 hours, under fluorescence microscopy, cell viability was determined with the fluorescent dye calcein-AM, and cell death was determined with the fluorescent dye propidium iodide. The behavior of the cells was displayed with time-lapse video microscopy for 12 hours from the time of treatment. ABS killed both neurons and non-neuronal cells via necrosis at a concentration of 25 µl/ml or more. ABS has the degenerative effect on mice peripheral sensory neurons, depending on the ABS level.

Neuromuscular degenerative effects of Ankaferd Blood Stopper® in mouse sciatic nerve model.

PURPOSE: Ankaferd Blood Stopper® (ABS), a licenced medicinal herbal extract, is commonly used as an effective topical haemostatic agent. This study is designed to investigate whether topical ABS application may cause peripheral nerve degeneration and neuromuscular dysfunction in a mouse sciatic nerve model. METHODS: Twenty mice were randomly divided into two groups; an ABS treated experimental group and a saline-treated control group. Left sciatic nerves were treated with 0.3 ml of ABS in the experimental group and 0.3 ml of sterile saline in the control group for 5 min. Peripheral nerve degeneration and neuromuscular dysfunction were evaluated by behavioural tests, electrophysiological analysis and weight ratio comparison of target muscles. RESULTS: The motor function, assessed by the sciatic function index, was significantly impaired in ABS-treated animals as compared to the animals treated with saline. Motor coordination, evaluated with the rotarod test, was significantly decreased (-42%) in ABS-treated animals compared to the saline-treated animals. The degree of pain, assessed by the reaction latency to thermal stimuli (hot-plate test), was significantly prolonged (313%) in ABS-treated mice when compared to the saline-treated mice. ABS-treated mice showed a significant reduction in motor nerve conduction velocity (MNCV) (-52%) and the compound muscle action potential (CMAP) (-47%); however, it significantly prolonged onset latency (23%). The gastrocnemius muscles weight ratio of the ABS group was considerably lower than that of the control group. CONCLUSIONS: These findings demonstrate that ABS triggers peripheral nerve degeneration and functional impairment and, thus promotes a deterioration of sciatic nerves.